The New York University School of Law was an appropriate setting for the New York chapter of Women's Federation for World Peace to present Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon in the first of her two campus appearances in New York City. It was a balmy Spring afternoon and New Yorkers could begin to feel confident that winter had finally relinquished her icy grip. Students preparing to leave for Spring break were ready to take full advantage of the weather and enjoy the outdoors away from the City.

The NYU School of Law is situated at the south-west corner of Washington Square Park, a landmark for people visiting Greenwich Village. The area also proudly claims nearby, both The Bottom Line and The Blue Note Lounge , among other clubs, comprising an integral part of New York's musical heritage. The area has also served as the point of departure for the politicization of the gay and lesbian agenda.

The lobby of the Tishman Auditorium at Vanderbilt Hall was appropriately graced with pictures of those alumnae who had gone on to distinguish themselves in their respective legal careers, many of them pioneering new ground for women in the legal profession. Not the least of these is Judith S. Kaye, Chief Justice of the New York Court of Appeals. Justice Kaye is the first woman to occupy this office, the highest judicial position in New York State. Another corroboration of the increasing role of women in public life!

As a result of some energetic disturbances during several prior events at the Tishman Auditorium, the security personnel were apprehensive about the likelihood of trouble despite assurances that this particular event had been presented around the world with almost no incident. Nevertheless campus security believed that they knew the area and their clientele! The additional security personnel and the unusual mode of entry into the auditorium in the end proved to have been unnecessary, and almost a little comical. But the job got done and nothing else intruded upon the integrity of the program!

Ben and Stian Lorentzen opened the program with a special musical charm. Their traditional Nordic ballad style has been honed and embellished in a dramatic way under the auspices of the Manhattan Center Studios. In mid-afternoon in Lower Manhattan, with The Bottom Line to their right and The Blue Note Lounge to their left, these brothers were perfectly at home. As they sang and played, they posted their claim to a part of the surrounding musical legacy and declared their intention to stamp their mark upon it.

A senior in the College of Arts and Science at NYU, Ms. Haruko Sunaga, offered words of welcome. She commented on her struggles growing up in Japan, as the daughter of a Korean father and a Japanese mother. She then spoke of the strength and inspiration she drew from the words and example of Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon in overcoming difficulties and in deepening her resolve to contribute to society.

Mrs. Kathy Van Noy, a woman of distinguished public service in the greater New York area and currently a Vice President of the National Black Republican Council introduced Mrs. Moon to the audience of students and invited guests of WFWP. She stressed the role of the family unit as the means to promote healing in a distressed society and the importance of Mrs. Moon's message in our contemporary culture. Having met Mrs. Moon at prior WFWP events and immediately before this event, Mrs. Van Noy commented on her own personal admiration and respect for Mrs. Moon. With a gracious, though strikingly beautiful appearance, Mrs. Moon greeted everyone and purposefully began to impart her message. From the outset she challenged her listeners to go beyond the habitual superficial discussions of current social maladies and to contemplate alternatively the fundamental cause for our human condition. Mrs. Moon thus led her attentive audience on an innovative philosophical and theistic review of the origins of human suffering and the struggle for liberation from a contradictory state of being. She emphasized the redemptive efforts of God in this process and His ceaseless efforts to find individuals through whom He could effect greater influence in order to empower humankind to resolve this struggle.

The role of several historic women in this process was elucidated upon by Mrs. Moon and she highlighted their sincere efforts in an appreciative and intimate manner. Her obvious empathy with these women enabled Mrs. Moon to affirm their accomplishments and to clarify their relevance as paradigms in our contemporary challenge to achieve true peace. She spoke with deep compassion of Jesus' anguish and grief at failing to find sufficient support to exploit the historical opportunity in his time to realize what Mrs. Moon referred to as "the individual heavenly kingdom, family heavenly kingdom, clan heavenly kingdom and national heavenly kingdom."

At this point in her address, Mrs. Moon had garnered the full attention of her audience. The atmosphere in the auditorium remained quiet, though actively attentive, and almost expectant for more informed insight into what history now offers. No one was disappointed or dissatisfied with her continued explanation of this reality. She dramatically spoke of the events surrounding World War II and the potential for the establishment of world peace centering upon Christianity. Mrs. Moon explained that this potential was not realized as a result of the rejection of the central agent who alone could bring all of that promise to fruition. That central agent she identified as being the Lord of the Second Advent. She explained how, in mirroring the rejection of Jesus by his contemporaries, the Reverend Moon was similarly rejected and despised.

As only a wife and life-partner could describe, she spoke poignantly of her husband's task of single-handedly recapturing that lost promise through a 40-year course. She made particular reference to her husband's efforts and achievements in order to save America because of its historical ties with Judaism, Israel, and the established Christian Churches. With her audience now awakening to the immensity of what she was saying, Mrs. Moon received thunderous applause for her plea: "We must save America."

Mrs. Moon turned towards her closing with an explanation of the crucial role that women must play in creating the context for unity and harmony throughout the world. With her announcement of the establishment of the first True Family, as the prototype for all future families, Mrs. Moon received sustained applause and appreciation. Her invitation to all to join her and her family in their efforts "to create an ideal nation and world" crowned her endearment with what was by now, her audience.

After leaving the auditorium after an enthusiastic reception, Mrs. Moon departed as graciously as she had entered. However as everyone remained in their seats listening to Ben and Stian perform their final selection, Stereo, all immediate consideration of the contents of her speech were superseded by the question, "who is this Mrs. Moon to have been able to give such an address?"

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